How to propagate new plants from layering including air layering.
Layering is a fairly simple form of propagation whereby new roots are encouraged or assisted to form on stems of plants when they are still attached to the parent plant.
There are several types of layering and in most cases the plant stem is wounded, dusted with hormone rooting powder, and buried in the soil.
Roots will form where the stem has been cut and eventually a new plant is produced, which can then be severed from the parent plant and replanted in a different site at a later stage.
There are several types of layering and in most cases the plant stem is wounded, dusted with hormone rooting powder, and buried in the soil.
Roots will form where the stem has been cut and eventually a new plant is produced, which can then be severed from the parent plant and replanted in a different site at a later stage.
The advantage of this type of layering is that the propagated plant receives water and food from the well-established parent plant all the while, until it has properly rooted itself and is ready to grow independently, which is when it can be detached as there is no risk of it not surviving.
Natural layering
Layering does occur naturally in nature, hence its name. No assistance is needed in the process and some plants are able to naturally layer themselves. This is typical for the strawberry plant, ivy and some shrubs that have low branches, which upon coming into contact with the growing medium a new root system naturally forms.
Simple layering
Simple or ground layering is an easy process to carry out and works well for plants such as roses, honeysuckle, rhododendrons and forsythia.
Select a flexible, low-slung and healthy young stem that can be pulled to the ground without breaking. Remove the leaves from the area that will be covered with soil, as well as any side shoots, but leave the flowers or leaves at the tip of the stem that will stay above ground. Make a short, slanting cut on the underside of the stem, preferably at a leaf joint, ensuring that you do not cut all the way through.
Add a little hormone rooting powder in this area and cover this part of the stem with soil. You may need to secure the underground stem in place with some bent wire. Water well and firm the soil back into place. After about a year a new plant should have established its own root system and it can be separated from the parent plant, although it should not be moved to another site for some time.
Select a flexible, low-slung and healthy young stem that can be pulled to the ground without breaking. Remove the leaves from the area that will be covered with soil, as well as any side shoots, but leave the flowers or leaves at the tip of the stem that will stay above ground. Make a short, slanting cut on the underside of the stem, preferably at a leaf joint, ensuring that you do not cut all the way through.
Add a little hormone rooting powder in this area and cover this part of the stem with soil. You may need to secure the underground stem in place with some bent wire. Water well and firm the soil back into place. After about a year a new plant should have established its own root system and it can be separated from the parent plant, although it should not be moved to another site for some time.
Compound layering
Compound or serpentine layering is almost exactly the same as the above process apart from the fact that several sections of the plant's stem are buried under the soil and not just one.
The stem will undulate above and under ground and where wounded sections are placed under the soil, new roots will form at each of these points. This works particularly well for climbers and vine-type plants such as clematis, grapes and wisteria.
The stem will undulate above and under ground and where wounded sections are placed under the soil, new roots will form at each of these points. This works particularly well for climbers and vine-type plants such as clematis, grapes and wisteria.
Mound layering
Mound layering, also known as stool layering, is useful for certain fruit bushes, as well as magnolia, quince and some rhododendrons. In this case, the process is carried out during the dormant season.
The plant is cut down to 2.5 - 5cm (1 - 2in) above the surface of the soil and earth is dumped over the remainder of the plant in little mounds. In the spring new buds will appear, which must be covered with soil as they do so. Where the new buds appear, new roots will also form. The new plants can be divided the following dormant season.
The plant is cut down to 2.5 - 5cm (1 - 2in) above the surface of the soil and earth is dumped over the remainder of the plant in little mounds. In the spring new buds will appear, which must be covered with soil as they do so. Where the new buds appear, new roots will also form. The new plants can be divided the following dormant season.
Air layering
Air layering is perhaps the most complicated form of layering and it differs from the previous methods in that the stem of the plant is not lowered down to the rooting medium, but the rooting medium is raised up to the stem of the plant.
This method is used for stiff, woody plants and shrubs that do not bend easily, as well as a number of popular houseplants including dracaena, Swiss cheese plant, oleander, bonsai, holly, azalea, rubber plant, lilac, camellia and magnolia.
A shallow cut is made into the stem of the plant just under a leaf joint, which is where the new roots will form. Wedge open the injured part of the stem by filling the wound with a piece of moist moss.
Apply hormone rooting powder to the area, wrap with more moisture-retaining moss, and then wrap a bandage of black polythene or aluminium foil around this area. This way moisture is retained within the bandage but kept out at the same time.
In time, roots will grow and try to penetrate the plastic. At this point the new plant or the top of the plant can be completely cut off just below the new root system and can be replanted in another spot.
This method is used for stiff, woody plants and shrubs that do not bend easily, as well as a number of popular houseplants including dracaena, Swiss cheese plant, oleander, bonsai, holly, azalea, rubber plant, lilac, camellia and magnolia.
A shallow cut is made into the stem of the plant just under a leaf joint, which is where the new roots will form. Wedge open the injured part of the stem by filling the wound with a piece of moist moss.
Apply hormone rooting powder to the area, wrap with more moisture-retaining moss, and then wrap a bandage of black polythene or aluminium foil around this area. This way moisture is retained within the bandage but kept out at the same time.
In time, roots will grow and try to penetrate the plastic. At this point the new plant or the top of the plant can be completely cut off just below the new root system and can be replanted in another spot.
